S.P.E.C.T.O.R
Chapter 91: I’m flattered but

"Joining their crew was as easy as showing a little cleavage and shaking my ass since the leader was a colossal pervert, though after we departed Alastria I made it quickly clear that he stood no chance." Rachael continued to explain.

"The mega corp had someone watching Stacey's movements and as soon as she departed Palaxia we were informed and moved with the plan to intercept the ship she was traveling on when it dropped out of FTL to refuel."

"How would you know where we would refuel?" Adam asked curiously.

"The route between Palaxia and Trillion has planets and space stations that almost every ship stops at for fuel, we just had to pick one of those with lighter security. Though of course the fact that your ship uses a Star Drive was unexpected."

"A Star Drive? Lorelie didn't mention that, how impressive." Rowana said with a thoughtful expression.

"She probably doesn't know," Adam replied to Rowana before turning to Rachael and saying, "continue."

"Because of you using a Star Drive we determined that the best way to ambush you was to force you out of FTL using a Thunderstorm EMP bomb when you passed by."

"The plan worked and you fell out of FTL, after which I made an excuse to head for the engine room before I set the fusion reactor to overload in order to kill those two and stop them from getting anywhere near Stacey."

"I escaped the vessel before it blew aboard this ship and now here we are." Rachael said as she finished.

There was silence for a few moments before Rowana said to Adam with her signature smirk, "So there you have it, my familiar may have done things the wrong way but she is still my familiar and I request you let her live."

"What's she worth to you? After all I'm not hearing any reason not to kill her except that she's your familiar and frankly that's not enough. I don't know you and we aren't friends." Adam replied, causing Rowana's smirk to vanish as a small frown appeared.

"Ohhh I get it, you were expecting me to let her go just because of who you are right? Sorry but since I'm new to the 'known universe' as you call it I'm not your fan and therefore don't have to do you this favour, so let me ask you again, what's she worth to you?" Adam said with his own smirk.

Rowana stared at Adam for several moments before she smiled, not the smirk she always wore on camera that she was famous for but a more natural smile.

"Lorelie was right, you are different. She said you were not like any other man she had ever met. I see now why she's so interested in you and I admit I'm also starting to get interested."

"I'm flattered but that won't save your familiar." Adam said as he pressed a button on his console.

"Err mistress, he just locked weapons onto me." Rachael suddenly said nervously.

"Alright how about this." Rowana began. "Money doesn't seem appropriate in this situation so how about a favour, let my familiar live and I will owe you one favour."

"A favour huh." Adam said as he thought about the offer.

"Accept her offer." Stacey suddenly said over the internal comm.

"Spector?" Adam asked since he remembered turning off the internal comm.

"Stacey requested communication with you and after convincing me that listening to her would be beneficial for you I allowed it." Spector replied.

"Hello my granddaughter." Rowana said with a sad smile.

"Rowana." Stacey replied curtly before continuing, "Accept her offer, she may be a Diva but she is also a high ranking member of a powerful Brood family and her owing you a favour will prove beneficial to you."

"I appreciate you taking my side on this matter, granddaughter. Won't you return home so that I can earn your forgiveness?" Rowana said.

"I'm not taking your side, I'm simply helping someone who protected me, having you owe him a favour is beneficial to him and I have no interest in returning home."

"Well there you have it." Adam said, interrupting the two. "Your familiar can live and you owe me a favour. Now if you'll excuse me I have a job to finish."

"Wait…" Rowana began but was soon cut off after Adam ended the communication.

"Are we capable of FTL yet?" 

"Affirmative."

"Good then put us back on course." Adam said before Spector jumped back into FTL.

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"They are gone, mistress." Rachael said as Rowana sat looking at the empty space where Adam's communication hologram had been with a surprised look on her beautiful face.

"When was the last time anyone, especially a man, refused to do me a favour when I asked them for it and even more so hung up on me?" She mumbled before pulling herself together and turning to look at Rachael.

"You made a mess of this Rachael and it almost cost you your life."

"I know my mistress."

"I see great potential in you which is why I took you as my familiar and helped you out this time, but make no mistake that if this becomes a regular occurrence you will lose your usefulness to me."

"I understand mistress." Rachel replied meekly.

"Good, now follow them to Trillion and keep an eye on Stacey, but DO NOT approach her. She has made it clear that she does not wish to return to the family. I guess I will have to handle this personally."

"Yes my mistress." Rachael replied before Rowana ended the call.

Rowana sat back and tapped her long finger on her chin while thinking before using her uniband to contact Lorelie.

"Rowana, how did it go?" Lorelie asked after she answered.

"We reached a compromise and my familiar is safe, thank you for your assistance in this my friend."

"It's fine, what are friends for after all, however it seems you left a bad first impression on him." Lorelie replied with a smile.

"What's this, are you happy because you thought I might steal your man?" Rowana asked with her own smile.

"What! No no I." Lorelie stammered while she blushed slightly.

"On my if your fans found out about this." Rowana giggled before saying, "Don't worry I have no interest in stealing him from you… yet."

"Yet?" Lorelie asked with a frown.

"Hehe." Rowana replied with another giggle before saying, "I'm just teasing you. But seriously he's as interesting as you made him out to be, so tell me more about him my friend."

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Adam left the cockpit and returned to the mess hall where he found Stacey looking at him nervously.

"Thanks." Stacey said in a quiet voice.

"Hey now where's the girl who was boasting about her win earlier?" Adam asked with a smile before adding, "No need to thank me, it's what you're paying me for right?"

"You're not going to ask about it?" Stacey asked.

"Nope. Everyone has their secrets and as you said I'm not paid to ask questions. If you want to tell me about it I will listen but otherwise…."

"Thanks." Stacey said with a grateful smile.

"How about another round?" Adam asked as he sat on the couch and grabbed the controller.

"Sure, but be prepared to lose again." 

"Heh please I let you win last time."

"Sure sure keep telling yourself that.

Soon the sound of laughter once again filled the mess hall as Adam and Stacey went back to their game.

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"Welcome back to USNN I'm your host Sinead Quintana."

"We have just received unconfirmed reports that the granddaughter of universal model Diva Rowena Nosferatu was forced out of FTL and attacked by unknown assailants during travel between Palaxia and Trillion in the Sandanar Galaxy."

"This is the second attack in as many weeks that have taken place against Diva's or their family members and it brings to light concerns that the TISF or Terran Imperial Space Force is incapable of protecting foreign visitors within their controlled space."

"Reports suggest that Diva Rowena's granddaughter only escaped because of the combined efforts of the ship she was traveling on and Diva Rowena's own familiar who somehow managed to board the enemy ship and initiate its self-destruct."

"Sorry one moment viewers, I am just receiving new information about this breaking news story." Sinead said as she held her hand up to her head before she started mumbling.

"Uh huh, I see."

"Oh really."

"I understand."

"My apologies to our viewers for the slight interruption there."

"New information states that Diva Rowena's familiar was actually onboard the ship that attacked Diva Rowena's granddaughter before the incident took place though we are unsure why that was, we can say that she does indeed claim to have been the one who caused the ship to self-destruct."

"Another interesting fact is that the pilot of the ship Diva Rowena's granddaughter is traveling on is in fact the same individual who saved Diva Lorelie previously."

"Reports claim that this individual is in-fact a streamer and that the whole event was live streamed. Unfortunately we have been unable to confirm this nor determine the streamer's identity at this time because all supposed clips of the incident on the universal subspace network are non accessible to us for some unknown reason."

"We will try to rectify this issue and confirm these reports so please stay tuned to USNN."